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Graeme is a marketing expert with a very interesting background. He is currently President of iWrite marketing, based in Rochester, New York. His work is dedicated to passionately serving entrepreneurial businesses. We enjoyed his interview and found that his advice and story will help you become a much better innovator. Please give his profile a read! – The Bigger Impact Team
I grew up in Australia. I am a baby boomer. My mom and dad were both in the service during World War II. My dad was in England flying bombers while my mother was in the Air Force in Australia. That is how they met. I was born in ’51. I went to my undergrad college for a film degree and subsequently worked in the film industry for a little while right after school. It was very competitive and the pay was poor. I decided to do something more stable, and came up with several ideas. People said I was good with people.
I had met a fellow when I was hitch hiking one day, which changed everything. He picked me up and as it turns out, was a salesman. He said it was a great life. So, I decided to combine that with my current experience and started selling motion picture products for Kodak. That was a pretty good move. I worked as a few years as a salesperson and was then offered a job as a consultant around Asia, Africa and the Middle East, working with motion picture labs to help them out. We had a huge market share worldwide. Our focus was to provide such good service so they would not consider any other supplier. That was my job, to provide the excellent service.
BI: How did you end up in Rochester?
I came here to Rochester for training once I joined Kodak. This was in the days when training was so well done - It was unbelievable. There was a marketing education center on East Road that was humming with people. I ended up working primarily in China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and India. I met my wife in Taiwan along the way and three years later got married. We are still married. However, in the beginning it was pretty hard because I was out four to six weeks at a time.
I remember thinking that I would come to Rochester for a few years and see what happens. I ended up moving out of motion picture and into venture just as they were starting new venture businesses. This was in 1987. I worked with a couple of those new businesses and then decided to join the copy business. They were producing the first digital copiers, and I worked on those in a product planning and marketing position. Later, I worked in Graphics Imaging. During that time I went to the Simon School and picked up an MBA. The business education was really important. While I was there I took any class that had the name entrepreneur on it.
BI: Where did that entrepreneurial spark begin?
Ever since I joined Kodak, I wanted to be a director, or an entrepreneur. I had that edge, which I am sure you understand! I took a couple of courses, one in optical entrepreneurship. The University of Rochester is known for its Institute of Optics. There was a business plan competition, and I decided that the guys in the laser lab, headed by Duncan Moore, were the most successful looking team. They had a lab going in Rush and were making the world’s highest powered lasers. However, they needed marketing, and they needed a business plan. We wrote a business plan, and it won the competition. I got to know Duncan Moore pretty well. A little later when I was tired of big corporate bureaucracy, I decided I wanted to start my own company, and called Duncan asking if he had any PhDs doing interesting things. He said, “Yes I have them, but I would rather have you join my company.” He had started a company called Gradient Lens Corporation; I started giving occasional advice to help them focus. Eventually, they called me up and asked if I could leave Kodak and join them full time.
I always point out that I left Kodak without any separation package. I just left penniless, which was kind of dumb. At that point Gradient Lens Corporation had 15 to 17 people. I was the first VP of marketing and sales. We saw a lot of success, took on a great distributorship and grew. But, I wanted to take on a new challenge, and decided start my own business, which was a predecessor of what is now iWrite marketing. I was working as a freelancer for all intensive purposes and I found that not a whole lot was happening.
I had not really marketed myself well, and did not have a strong value proposition. I thought that maybe I should get a job… but realized that instead I needed to do what I was doing, but much better. I decided to not only do the strategic work, but I also started doing writing, which I am pretty good at. I started to add marketing services, doing catalogues and websites and stuff like that, and working with other designers. In late 2007, I started putting a team together and here we are!
BI: What exactly does iWrite Marketing do?
We help entrepreneurial companies grow. Why entrepreneurial companies? I have two big passions; entrepreneurship and marketing. Marketing is the engine of entrepreneurship.
Firstly, this gives us the chance to work with people we love, whether it is a tiny startup with one student or a considerably large company on its way. This also makes it possible to find groups in large companies that are entrepreneurial. If you can find a group like this, it is a joy. One of our clients is XOHM, a group inside of Sprint. They have spun that off to combine with Clearwire, which is producing WiMAX. Working with groups like that is exactly like working with a startup. We have been doing consulting, and marketing services work as well. We have been doing websites. We tend to focus on business to business, and technology, science and life sciences. I just have a really strong interest in that stuff. Despite this, our largest current client is a financial planning company.
BI: Why did you stay in Rochester?
It has a lot of good things. It does not have as much of the business we would like as in other markets, however we take the attitude that we can help change that. There are a lot of small businesses that have formed around RIT and U of R, particularly in technology.
BI: What do you do in your free time?
I read a lot. I spend time with the family. I have three college age kids, all at college. Other than that, I work pretty hard. I work late quite a lot and am in here on the weekends. We are establishing the business, so it takes a lot of effort. I talk about the fact that we do consulting and services. But the passion we have for Entrepreneurism and Marketing is built around a platform that we are calling common sense marketing.
BI: What would be some common sense marketing examples?
I want to start with saying that most marketing is pretty bad. It does not matter what it is in general, but it is often money poorly spent. People who come from engineering, science or management backgrounds look at marketing and say it is the only area where you can throw money and not necessarily get results, and still have your job and be regarded as successful. People who support marketing will say; "Did you see that campaign? Look at the logo, it is so nicely done. It did not make the numbers, but the activity was good.”
The truth is that marketing is about results, not activity.
Entrepreneurs have all of the advantages. Having little money is a huge advantage because it makes you think. Instead of using spaghetti marketing, and throwing campaigns at the wall to see what sticks, you use marketing tools, like newsletters, that are highly cost effective. The way you make decisions as an entrepreneurial team also gives you an advantage. As an entrepreneur you can do much better marketing than larger organizations.
It’s interesting, because there is a process in every field, in most sciences and in engineering. There has not been one for marketing. We have developed a process for marketing. Articulate, Decide, Market. First, this puts a clear understanding on exactly what you are trying to do. Second, it forces you to decide on a course. Right before the iPod was launched Steve Jobs did not like the case that iPods were in, and said “guys, you need to change to a stainless steel shell, and you have no time to do it.” He made a decision and went with it. This was necessary to the success of the product. Third, you use innovative marketing formulas.
BI: What are your favorite books?
Dare to Prepare by Ronald Shapiro, Guerilla Marketing for Consultants by Jay Conrad Levinson and Michael McLaughlin, Superclass: The Global Power Elite and the World They Are Making by David Rothkopf, The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley, Who by Geoff Smart and Randy Street, You Are the Message by Roger Ailes, The Definitive Drucker by Elizabeth Hass Edersheim, Winning by Jack and Suzy Welch
Also, check out The Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Podcast at Stanford.edu; (http://ecorner.stanford.edu/podcasts.html)
I am religiously dedicated to the Entrepreneurial Thought Leader’s Podcast. This is the most amazing source that an entrepreneur should listen to. If you do not listen to this, you should lose your entrepreneur’s license.
BI: If you could give any piece of advice to Western NY, what would it be?
If I could transmit any idea, it would be the idea of Peaks versus Averages. The whole idea is that it is better to go for leadership in a few things than average performance in many. If we had two Michelin three star restaurants in Rochester, people would come from all over to try them. One lab at the University of Rochester that leads the whole world in development of a treatment for ALS would position us better than three labs doing good work on infectious disease, for example. One amazing newsletter run by two bright young guys does more for this area than dozens of lesser publications.
When people talk about a city, or just about anything, they tend to be like statisticians, or market researchers. We are 156 in terms of this, or 190 in terms of this. To me that is the entirely wrong way to think of it. As a marketing person, you have to think of the peaks, not the averages. If we do not have the best things, we must develop a few of the best things. When it comes to museums or photography, we are the best. When it comes to music schools we have one of the best in the US and in the world. We have a strong musical culture. Those are peaks. And we need to have those in other places as well. And without entrepreneurial business going on, nothing happens.
This was one of the most entrepreneurial communities because of people like George Eastman. Not only did he fund Rochester, the U of R and museums, but MIT would not have been around had it not been for him. I really believe that a vibrant business community here is extremely important. It comes back to the theme of entrepreneurship. This can start with small points of light, but eventually, there will be more Paychex, just plain great companies. When that happens, people will come; they will be here to work. They won’t complain about the weather. This happened with Kodak.
One of the principles in marketing is that you never go in intending to be the number seven in market share. You define a segment where you can totally dominate, and you narrow it down until you are the best or the winner in that segment. I think the situation right now is pretty desperate. By emphasizing the peaks and not the averages, we can win.
BI: What are the next steps? Where do you see yourself five years from now?
We want to develop the iWrite marketing “franchise”, not as a true franchise, but in the McDonalds sense, where everything is defined very tightly. We want to think of processes, hire really great people and build tightly defined teams with well defined roles and allow for a lot of creativity and unconventional thought. That’s why we like marketing so much; it is both right and left brain oriented. If you have disciplined processes, it actually enhances your creative opportunities – it helps you think broadly and creatively.
My vision is to have a network of iWrite Marketing in other cities. The next place is Boston. We would like to see it in cities like Seattle. If I am really truthful about the dream, then we are going international. It is not just about making money, but to liberate people. Entrepreneurism is what drives development in poor countries. Marketing is the engine in that. We have a role to play. This is a social venturing opportunity. This feeds in with another passion of mine; talent. I love to find talent in people and build upon their strengths.
I just can’t wait to see what it will be like when there are a lot more entrepreneurial ventures going on in Baghdad. The reason I love to live in this country and this community is that it’s built on entrepreneurship.
BI: What would your perfect day at work look like?
Well, I just believe that it is not defined in terms of money. If you are passionate about something, and you love what you are doing and you do a great job for your customers, the money will follow, and you will make a living. And, I think that entrepreneurs, who initially must go through a tough time, should make a good living.
BI: You have done a lot of traveling. Is there any country you have not gone to yet, that you would like to go to?
I have been to over twenty five countries. I have never been to France. My daughter is a linguist, a French speaker. She is talking about going over there soon. I like the idea of going to France and Italy and trying all sorts of food from the local markets.
BI: What techniques do you use to build your business?
We are talking about a business that is relationship based, and long term. This is not a situation where you make a sale and you are gone. It is all about personal relationships and direct communication with clients. That is the sort of people we are, and where we want to be. We are successful based upon referral and word of mouth. Also, we are building our platform, and beginning to use speaking engagements more. People need to know whether what you have intellectually is rigorous and sound, and that you are a good person. If you go to a conference, and see a speaker who really resonates, they get mobbed afterwards. It is amazing!
If you don’t have a great relationship with your client, it is not worth it. Choose your clients carefully.
Steve Jobs says; “Life is short. What you got to do is be great.”
And, what I say to these guys who work here is; “Don’t worry about efficiency…worry about effectiveness.” When you are worrying about efficiency, you are not leading anymore, you are managing.
I just read in Advertising Age today about Bob Lutz, who was asked how he made a difference at GM. He said that when he was in there, no one talked about making a great product, it was only about producing cars more efficiently. They looked at measures that had nothing to do with the core business and lost track of their core. Unfortunately, it is tough times for them now.
BI: Why did you decide to hole up here at RIT?
There are a lot of likeminded people in the incubator. RIT became great due to the influence of people like Albert Simone, and now Bill Destler. Right there we have two really great leaders. I think Bill is truly visionary about what he wants to do here. RIT is really great because of NTID, and the deaf and hard of hearing community. This changes the dimensions here, how people think, and how inclusive they are. I am not just saying that because we are here, but because being here we can understand what the resources are.
BI: What is your favorite eatery in Rochester?
Hicks and McCarthy. That is a favorite of mine. But, remember, I am married to a Taiwanese woman. If I were to say my true favorite eatery it would be Cindelicious, my wife Cindy's new business. I am her marketing advisor, but my rewards are gastronomical rather than financial.
Graeme can be reached at: Graeme.Roberts@iWriteMarketing.com
